Voter registration down due to pandemic — Comelec

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has observed a low number of applicants in the ongoing voter registration.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said this is already "expected" in view of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

"The number is quite low and that’s expected because of the pandemic," he said during the Laging Handa press briefing on Monday.

"In the last three to four weeks, we only reached 250,000 transactions processed nationwide. In previous times, pre-COVID, that number was just NCR (National Capital Region), but now it's nationwide," added Jimenez.

The poll official said they expect the number to still increase in the coming days.

"We expect it to pick up. In total, we have about four million who are expected to register," Jimenez said.

Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas, meantime, urged qualified voters to already register and not wait for the last minute before doing so.

"Avail of the registration period, this is one year. Let's not flock on the last day because that is usually our problem during registration," he said.

Voter registration for the May, 2022, polls already resumed last September 1 except in areas under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) or Modified ECQ.

The poll body said voter registration will automatically resume in areas under ECQ or MECQ once the quarantine status is either downgraded to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) or Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), or if the quarantine is lifted entirely.

According to the Comelec, applications for registration may be submitted from Tuesday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Office of the Election Officer.